Jail lock



Feb. 7, 1933. A, MAIN 1,896,523

JAIL LOCK vFiled June 25, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR ATT RNEYS Feb. 7, 1933. MAIN v1,896,523

JAIL LOCK Filed June 25, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ATTORN EY,

Patented eb. 7, 1933 UNITED STATES P ATENTv OFFICE ANDREW MAIN, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO CLEVE- LAND FARE BOX .ANDA FOUR-WAY LOCK C0., `OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO .TAIL Loox Application led .Tune 26,

This invention relates to lock mechanisms of the rotary plug and cylinder type, its lob-l ject being to provide: such a mechanism wherein the plug alone, or the plug and cylinder together, may be removed from the front face or wall of the lock mechanism without access to any other face thereof and by an operation relatively difficult to an unauthorized person and inevitably leaving traces of its performance, but capable of being readily performed by an authorized person with ordinary tools or equipment, the plug and cylinder mechanism being also so designed that reiusertion of the parts cannot be performed without the presence of the requisite key.

Further objects of the invention are in part obvious and in part will appear more in detail hereinafter.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation upon the line 1 1, Fig. 8; Figs. 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 are sectional views upon the lines 2 2, 3 3, 4 4, 5 5 and 6 6, Fig. l, respectively; Fig. 7 is a detail view corre-V sponding to F ig. 1 and4 illustrating a modication; Fig. 7c is an end view thereof; Fig. 7 b is a view of the key; Fig'. 8 is a front elevation of the lock; Fig. 9 is a rear elevation of the casing cover; Fig. 10 is a front elevation,

the casing cover being omitted to expose interior parts; Fig. 11 is a. sectional plan view, somewhat diagrammatic, showing typical Acell construction; and Fig. 12 is a front view of a part of the cell.

While the invention is useful and. may be embodied in lock mechanisms of any type and for any purpose, neverthelessthe invention finds an important application in jail locks, and for convenience, but not in any sense of limitation, is illustrated as applied to such a lock. l

In mostl prior lock mechanisms of the pin tumbler or relatively rotatable plug and cylinder type, removal of the plug and cylinder members from the lock is impossible without access to some other than the front face of the lock casing, where the plug and cylinder are accessible for key insertion. For example, in moi'tise locks, such as are used in doors, the rotary cylinder and plug are held in place by a screw exposed at the end edge of the doork 1930. Serial No. 463,954.

and the cylinder and `plug cannot be un.

screwed or removed Without access to said set screw, and even thenonly by unscrewing the vcylinder and plug together, or as a unit. Again, in other locks of this general type, the boltinechanism actuated by the rotary plug is enclosed within-a casing, fastened, for example, to the back of the door, and to remove the cylinder and plug mechanism access to said casing is necessary so that it can be opened up to release the' plug and cylinder, which are ordinarily attached to the inside of the front wall or face of the lock casing and almost invariablycarry somepart so large that the cylinder and plug unit cannot Tbe removed through the usual round hole in the casingwall throughwhich theyextend.

This condition has' given rise to very grave difculties with prison locks, such as are'employed to lock the sliding or other doors of confinement cells. For example, in the Ohio penitentiary at Columbus the bolt mechanism for the cell doors, including its enclosing casing, is completelyvhoused or enclosed within the cell partition or wall, which is formed of metal plates riveted or welded Y in place as a permanent substantially integral part of the construction of the building or cell block. The onlyy exposed or accessible parts of such looks are the end of the pivoted bolt or latch and the ends of the relatively rotatable cylinder and plug members. As a result of the recent lire at said penitentiary, the prisoners are adopting the most extreme expedients to prevent being locked in their cells at night. Many prisoners have secreted nails or the like which they drive into the key opening so that either the nail cannot be removed or it mutilates the tumbler mechanism and renders it inoperative.V As a result, it is Aimpossible to thereafter lock the celluntil the tumbler mechanism is repaired or replaced, which requires physical removal of an area-of the plate metalof the cell wall by burning itout with an acetylene torch or the like to gain access to thelock casing which encloses or houses the bolt mechanism. After the lock is repairedit must be reinserted and 1a metal plate welded in to replace the part taken out. The entire job takes a matter of a day or two and at a cost of almost one hundred dollars.

The present invention is aimed to provide lock mechanism capable of being permanently housed or enclosed in metal plates or other structures, as with former ail locks, and eX- posing no additional parts for access byunauthorized persons, but in which, when a nail or the like is driven into the key hole, or the tumbler mechanism is mutilated in the manner described, or otherwise, the mutilation is unavoidably detected and it is possible to very easily and conveniently take out the cylinder and plug members and repair or replace them without any necessity of burning out a partof the metal plates of the wall itself, as heretofore, thereby not only reducing the cost and time necessary for the repair or replacement job, but also avoiding the application of intense heat to the neighborhood of the lock mechanism and preventing its det imental eifect upon the delicate tumblers and other parts of the lock mechanism.

rlhe lock shown in the drawings comprises a suitable casing including a box-like body or container l provided with a cover wall 2 attached thereto in any suitable manner, such as by screws 3. The casing encloses any ordinary form of lock mechanism, such as the latch or bolt l pivoted to swing in a vertical plane on the pin 5 and having a hooked latch end 6 which extends outwardly for engagement with a part of the sliding door (not shown) to be locked, the other arm of the bolt carrying a hammer shaped head 7, one end of which is adapted to be depressed by an arm or lever 8a on an unlocking or releasing member 8 having a post 9 `iournalled within the casinoand provided with suitable means by which it may be actuated by the main rotary plug mechanism, such as a pair of sutable drivin g recesses l shown as of crescent shape and adapted to receive similarly shaped operating projections ll on the rear end of the rotary plug. The other end of the hammer head of the latch lever cooperates with a proli'ection or shoulder l2 on the dead bolt 13 having a recess l-l adapted to receive a crank pin l on the arm lGct of a dead bolt unlocking or releasing member 16 which is operatively connected to the rear end of the rotary plug of the dead bolt operating device by connections a, lla similar to those before described. lt will be observed that each of the two rotary plugs is assembled with and disassembled from its unlocking or releasing member 8 or 16 by relative longitudinal motion in the direction of the axis of the plug, and without relative rotation between the plug and the member which it operates, which feature will be referred to hereafter.

ln the present lock mechanism, the casing contains two members, to wit, the latch lever and the dead bolt, which are enclosed within the casing by its cover and are adapted to be ar may be provided with an separately actuated, each by its own relatively rotatable plug and cylinder members, the latter being carried by the cover of the lock mechanism. rlhe arrangement of the parts is such that the entire casing and cover and all parts contained therein, can be permanently housed within the riveted or welded steel plates of the cell wall conventionally illustrated at. 17, Fi ll, said plates having openings through which eXtend the projecting ends of the two cylinder and plug mechanisms and through w rich the latter are removable, as will appear.

For the most part description of one cylind-er and plug mechanism will su'l'lice for both. llt each of the proper points the cover wall of the casing carries a threaded sleeve portion or member 18. Usually this threaded sleeve is malle either as a part of the cover itself or it may be permanently or removably attacher,L to the inside surface of the cover lt need not be and usually is not reiovable through the circular opening 18a in said plate. lnto said sleeve is threaded the loch cylinder 19 in which rotates the plug 20. The cylinder and plug are interconnected by suitable tumbler mechanism, which is preferably of the lever type, illustrated in a prior lnatent lilo. LoS-i383, granted Dec. 8, 1925 toil ames A. Muzzio. The tumbler levers 2l are mounted in longitudinal slots 2Q in the plug, the pivot pins of said tumblers and the springs thereof being held in annular grooves Q23 of the plug, as in said patent. Four sets of two tumblers each are distributed circumferentially around the central longitudinal airis, as a result of which the lrey Q-l is of cruciform shape in cross section, although it may also have a square driving portion 24a fitting and entering a like portion 2lb of the plug for rotating the latter. The tumbler levers cooperate with longitudinal slots 25 in the inner surface of the wall of the cylinder, and said slots extend continuously from end to end of th cylinder, )eing formed by a through breaching operation. The outer ends of said slots, as well as a portion of the end of the plug. may be covered by a plate or washer E26, which is a drivinglit in a countersunk recess of the cylinder member.

lllhen the cylinder' and plug members are operative position, with the plug projections ll engaging the recesses 10, the cylinder d plu 1re held in place by a sleeve or collar 2'? attached to the lock wall by screws QS having their heads deeply countersunk in Y E ,L

recesses oi. the sleeve. Also, rotation of the cylinder in the casing wall is prevented by any suitable means, such as by pins or proliections Q9 on the cylinder engaging in recesses of the collar Further, said coll inwardly extermin,e flange which covers either the edge of the washer 26 or even its entire area,

although this is not necessary. In the finished construction, theV holes in which the heads of the screws 28are deeply countersunk are filled with small plugs 32 of brass or the like, which are driven in tightlyand then finished off smooth to a polished snrface.`

In this lock, when a prisoner drives a nail into the key opening or otherwise injures it so that it cannot be actuated by usual means, the repair man drills out the small plugs 32, giving him access to the screws 28, which he thereupon removes. This releases the collar 27, which is taken out, thereby releasing the cylinder 19A for rotation.

As before stated, the operating connections 10, lllbetween each plug and the member which it actuates are assembled and disassembled by relative longitudinal motion alone, and without relative rotary motion, whereas each cylinder is assembled and disassembled with its sleeve 18 by a `screwing operation alone. The'two motions, longitudinal and screwing,.of the plug and cylinder respectively, cannot be performed unless the tumbler levers of th-e lock are in release or unlocked position. If it is possible to insert the key into the-plug and move the .tumblers to release position, that is done,

and by holding the key in the plug to maintain the tumblers in release position and to prevent plug rotation, the lock cylinder 19 may be rotated to unscrew it from its sleeve 1S, thereby simultaneously removing both the cylinder and the plug from the lock. The-se two Vparts may then be replaced by other like parts in proper operative condition, to insert which it is again necessary to have the key in place in the plug so that the tumblers are and may be maintained in release position. lVith the key in place in the plug, the cylinder may be screwed into the sleeve 18 to its home position, care being taken to see'that the operating projections llregister properly with and enter the recesses l() by longitudinal motion. Upon full linsertion of the lock cylinder, the collar 27 is laid in place, its fastening screws 28 are inserted, and new plugs 82 are driven lin and filed off.

The operation of removing a cylinder and plug together, or of reinserting a cylinder and plug together, with the key inv place in either case, is usually termed a floating operation, the plug being floated longitudinally into and out of driving relation wit-l1 its member 8 or 16, by the rotation or screwing of the cylinder. As a result, no new lock plugs and cylinders can he inserted into any lock in a prison without the presence of an authorized key, and vif a single master key is vkept solely in the possession of one trustedauthorized oiicial, Vthe prison authorities may avoid any possibility of insertion of a plug and cylinder into a lock unless it cylinder and washer are of brass.

for example, if a plug and cylinderV arer taken out by an unauthorized person, the exposed parts of the lock will inevitably leave evidence of that fact and arouse inquiry. In the lock so far described, the drilling out of the small plugs 32 leaves such traces and other suitable arrangements will be described hereafter.

`When it is impossible to insert a key and remove the cylinder and plug together, due

to inability to move the tumblers to release position for the floating operation, the cylinder and plug-may be removedin another way. For example, in the arrangement shown in Fig. 1, the washer 26 can be pried out with a screw-driver or like tool. thereby affording direct access to theend of the plug, which, regardless of the position of the tumbler-s carried by it, can thereby be drawn out separately and alone by endwise movement, because the tumbler levers will slide freely along the wall of the cylinder or along its grooves when the washer 26 is removed. This is because the entire plug, including its operating projections 11, is of no greater diameter at any point in its length than then diameter of the through. hole in the cylinder in which it rotates.

Upon removal of the plug, the cylinder 19 can be readily -un'screwed` and new parts can bei inserted in the same'manner before described, but the new parts can only be reinserted by the floating operation and in the presence of an authorized key, with advantages as before. 4

The washer 26, while a'driving fit in the recess in which it lies, is usually also connected to the cylinder by one or more small dowel pins 26a, made of steel, whereas the fore when the washer 26 is Dried out with a i Y l screwdriver or other implement, the steel dowels will not break, but will pull or shear out the small over-lying pieces of brass of the cylinder at 26h, which leaves inevitable traces of the removal of the washer, for purposes before described.v The collar 27 may carry an inwardly Aextending flange 31 covering the edge of the washer, as shown in Fig. 7,'in which case the collar 27 must be removed before washer 26 may be priedout,

Therebut in Fig. l the Washer 26 at all times is exposed over its full area.

Fig. 'T also illustrates the plug 20 provided with an extension a at its exposed end extending out to the face of the Washer 26, making it possible to provide the end of the plug and the adjacent face of the Washer With cooperating relatively movable indicating means, such as the shallow grooves 40, lll, filled With paint or enamel, and which serve to visibly indicate at all times the condition of the lock mechanism, Whether locked or unlocked. -For example, these two indieating marks can be so placed upon the stationary Washer 26 and rotatable plug 2O that the two marks register When the plug is in .locked position and are out of registration 'when in release position, or vice versa. rlhe Washer in this caso has two opposite edge portions cut away or flatted, as at 260 to furnisn entrances for a prying tool for its removal, said entrances being normally covered or concealed by the flange 31.

In all forms, by relatively simple operations requiring no other implements than a drill and screw driver, and Without any lnecessity of burning out a partof the permanent pla-tes of the cell Wall, it is possible to repair and replace the cylinder and plug members Without access to any other part of the lock casing than what is ordinarily accessible. Moreover, the arrangement is such that unauthorized persons cannot readily remove the lock parts, due to the necessity for use of a drill. As a result, the prisoners cannot take out the cylinder and plug and emove the tumblers and restore the parts in inoperative form. Again, the lock mechanism is of a type in which, if the plug is removed separately from the cylinder, its springs immediately throw or project the tumblers out of their slots in the plug so that the tumbler levers become mixed up and cannot be restored in proper position and order with respect to the key, aut a new set of tninblers and a proper key therefor must be inserted by an authorized person.

Other advantages will readily occur to those skilled in the art.

Vilhat l claim is:

l. Lock mechanism of the character described, comprisingI a lock casing, bolt operating parts therein, a combination unit including relatively rotatable cylinder and plug members, said cylinder being attached to the casing and removable through its front Wall, said plug having operating connections with the bolt operating parts capable of assembly and disassembly by motion in the direction of the plug a: the plug and its operating connection being endvvise removable through the key end of the cj. inder in disassembling, and a collar reinovably attached to the front VWall of the casing and having interlocking relation with the cylinder to prevent rotation thereof.

2. Lock mechanism of the character described, comprising a lock casing, bolt operating parts therein, a combination unit including relatively rotatable cylinder and plug members, said cylinder having threaded connection with the front casing Wall and being removable through an opening therein, and the plug having an operating connection with the bolt operating parts capable of assembly and disassembly by motion in the direction of the plug axis.

3. Loek mechanism of the character set forth and claimed in claim l, including a member attached to the outer end of the cylinder by a frangible connection and arranged to confine theplug therein.

Ll. Lock mechanism of the character set forth and claimed in claim l, wherein all parts of the rear end of the plug at all times are located within the outer boundary of the tumbler carrying part of the plug, whereby the plug may be witl'idraivn endvvise through the key end of the cylinder.

Lock mechanism of the character described, comprising a lock casing, bolt operating parts therein, a combination unit including relatively rotatable cylinder and plug.

members, means to attach said cylinder' to the casing and said cylinder being removable through the front Wall thereof, and said plug havinc operating connections with the bolt operating parts capable of assembly and disassembly by motion in the direction of the plug axis, the plug having a series of tumbler levers and the cylinder having cooperating `grooves therefor extending Without obstruction from end to end thereof, whereby the plug may be Withdrawn from either end of the cylinder in disassembling.

5. Lock mechanism of the character described comprising a lock casing, bolt operating parts therein, a combination unit including relatively rotatable cylinder and plug members, and means for attaching said cylinder to said casing, said cylinder being removable through the front Wall of said casing, said plug having detachable operating connections with the bolt operating parts capable of assembly and disassembly by motion in the direction of the plug axis, the means for attaching said cylinder to said casing including a collar removably attached to the front Wall of the casing` and having interlocking relation with the cylinder to prevent rotation thereof.

7. Lock mechanism of the character described comprising a lock casing, oolt operating parts therein, a combination unit including` relatively rotatable cylinder and plug members, said cylinder being attached to the casing and removable through its front Wall, and said plug having operating connections with the bolt operating parts c pable of assembly and disassembly by motion in the direction of the plug axis and said plug being lendwise insertible into and removable through the key end of the cylinder in assembling and disassembling, and a collar removably attached to the front wall of the casing and having interlocking relation with the cylinder to prevent rotation thereof.

8. Lock mechanism of the character described comprising a lock casing, bolt operating parts therein, a combination unit including relatively rotatable cylinder and plug members, said cylinder being removable through the front wall of said casing, means for attaching said cylinderto said casing, and said plug having detachable operating connections with the bolt operating parts capable of assembly and disassembly by m0- tion in the direction of the plug axis, and relatively movable cooperating means on the cylinder and plug members for indicating their relative positions.

9. Lock mechanism of the character described comprising a lock casing, bolt operating parts therein, a combination unit including relatively rotatable cylinder and plug members, said cylinder being removable through the front wall of said casing, means for attaching said cylinder to said casing, said plug having detachable operating connections with the bolt operating parts capable of assembly and disassembly by motion in the direction of the plug axis, the means for preventing removal of said cylinder from said casing including a collar removably attached to the front wall of said casing and having interlocking relation with the cyllinder to prevent rotation thereof, said collar having countersunk recesses, fastening screws for said collar having their heads within said recesses, and l'iller plugs for said recesses.

l0. Lock mechanism of the character set forth and claimed in claim 7 including a member attached to the outer end of the cylinder by irangible connection arranged to conne the plug therein.

ll. Lock mechanism of the character set forth and claimed in claim 7 wherein all parts of the rear end of the plug at all times are located within the outer boundary of the tumbler carrying parts of the plug, wherebyr the plug may be withdrawn endwise through the key end of the cylinder in disassembly.

In testimony whereof I hereby 'afix my signature ANDREW MAIN 

